Comeback Complete!

Great comebacks inspire us. As you plan your own 2013 rally, take a lesson from these people, places, and things that enjoyed the biggest rebounds of the past year.

2 of 17

1. Jennifer Lopez

Lopez had a busy year. In addition to hosting duties on American Idol, starring in movies like What to Expect When You're Expecting, and releasing her first greatest hits album, she's also launched a fragrance line, a luxury T-shirt e-commerce business, and become co-owner of a Latino TV network. But that's not what made 2012 so special for J-Lo. The reason she was picked as one of Bing's ten most searched musicians is—how can we say this politely?—her revealing nature. It started at the Oscars, where she may or may not have had a wardrobe malfunction, depending on who you ask and what they think they saw. And then on her "Dance Again" World Tour, which probably should have been called "Sorry About The Nip Slips" World Tour, she over-shared at concerts in London and Bologna, Italy. Thanks to Google, her year of accidentally flashing was a gift that keeps on giving.

3 of 17

2. American Cars

Remember when the U.S. Auto industry was on its deathbed? It seems like just yesterday, doesn't it? Four years ago, Chrysler and General Motors were declaring bankruptcy, and it looked like American-made cars would soon become as obsolete as cannons and VCRs. But then came the $80 billion bailout, and car manufacturers rose from their respective graves like zombies hungry for brains. A lot of credit was given to Obama, who technically signed off on the bailout package. But don't forget Mitt Romney, the guy who admitted earlier this year in a speech to the Detroit Economic Club that he's a one-man car-buying machine. "I drive a Mustang and a Chevy pickup truck," he said. "Ann drives a couple of Cadillacs actually. And I used to have a Dodge truck, so I used to have all three [major automakers] covered." Don't stop there, Mitt. We're pretty sure you've got more room on those credit cards.

4 of 17

3. Peyton Manning

It wouldn't be complete hyperbolic nonsense to compare Peyton Manning with Steve Austin, the protagonist of the 1970s sci-fi TV show The Six Million Dollar Man. In March, Manning signed a five-year, $96 million deal with the Denver Broncos, which much like the millions spent on reconstructing Austin, at the time seemed hopeful but probably a waste of money. Both underwent massive surgery—Austin was filled with bionics, and Manning got four neck fusion surgeries in two years, or essentially was filled with bionics—and then both went on to perform beyond everyone's expectations. Manning is an (arguable) lock for MVP and a (knock on wood) second-time Vince Lombardi Trophy winner in February. Watching the now 36-year-old quarterback play, you can almost hear that familiar baritone voiceover: "Gentleman, we can rebuild him. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster."

5 of 17

4. Arrested Development

Rumors that Arrested Development, the critically beloved cult sitcom that was cancelled in 2006 after just three seasons, would be revived have become one of comedy's most enduring urban legends. Everybody wanted to believe, but nobody took it seriously. Even when series creator Mitch Hurwitz announced at the New Yorker Festival that a fourth season and feature movie were in the works, even cast members, like David Cross, were only "semi-optimistic." But then this year, the seemingly impossible happened; the cast and crew of Arrested Development were given scripts and told to come back to work. Photos of the production leaked on the Internet, and excited fans debated rumors about plot lines. Will the new season be any good, or are the expectations just too high, the comedy equivalent of the Star Wars prequels? We'll all find out together this spring, when Netflix premieres the first episode. Until then, our fingers will be crossed extra tight.

6 of 17

5. Bill Clinton

When Bill Clinton walked onstage at the Democratic National Convention in September, they might as well have played the "Theme From Shaft." Because by the end of his speech, most of the nation was thinking the same thing: "He's one baaaaaad mother.... Watch your mouth! I'm just talkin' 'bout Clinton. I can dig it." He talked for 48 minutes, 10 longer than Obama, and every second of it was riveting. Clinton hasn't been this charismatic and charming since he called the Oval Office home. Was he responsible for getting Obama re-elected? Not entirely. But when Mitt Romney conceded the election to the President, the first person Obama called was Bill Clinton. Even the First Lady admitted that the two men share a "bromance." So how does a former president go from sex scandals and quadruple bypasses to being the Democratic Party's most popular elder statesmen? "I'm not running for anything anymore," he explained in a recent interview. Whatever the reason, we hope the new and improved Clinton doesn't retire anytime soon.

7 of 17

6. Cleavage

"Looking at cleavage is like looking at the sun," Jerry Seinfeld once said. "You don't stare at it, it's too risky. You get a sense of it then you look away." That advice isn't so easily taken anymore. In 2012, cleavage is less like the sun and more like neon signs in Times Square. You can look away all you want, you're still getting an eyeful. Celebs like Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), Christina Aguilera (The Voice) and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) have put the "plunging" back into plunging necklines. Even former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, who should know a thing or two about wandering eyes, couldn't resist taking a long, lingering look at Aguilera's ample cleavage during a photo opp.

8 of 17

7. Bigfoot

Is there a bigger compliment for a mythical creature than having science prove you exist? The Loch Ness Monster should be so lucky. A team of Texas researchers revealed results this year from a five-year DNA study, in which they purported to have sequenced the genome of Bigfoot. If their results are real (a big if), it would prove that Bigfoot is a hominin hybrid species, a cross between modern man and a 1,500 year-old primate species. Of course, there's still a pretty good chance that the DNA study is as bogus as most Bigfoot sightings. (Where exactly did they find Bigfoot DNA anyway?) It's been a pretty stellar year for Sasquatch even without the blood tests. Shows about the furry beast have never been more popular. Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot pulled in 1.3 million viewers, up by 33% from their first season. And Spike TV is producing a reality contest called The 10 Million Dollar Bounty, in which a sizable bounty—$10 million smackers—is offered to the person who can conclusively prove the existence of Bigfoot. That's no chump change. If we were Bigfoot, we'd claim the reward ourselves. $10 million would buy a lot of huge shoes.

9 of 17

8. Boy Bands

Boy bands were supposed to be a purely 1990s fad, like slap bracelets or the Macarena. They were the dinosaurs of their time, ruling the land with an unmatched ferocity. And not unlike the dinosaurs, bands like 'N Sync, Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, Hanson, O-Town, et al went predictably extinct. But here we are in 2012, and like a Jurassic Park of adorable harmonizing sprites, boy bands are back with a vengeance. Have you heard of One Direction, the Wanted, Midnight Red, Big Time Rush, Emblem 3 or Downtown Drive? You would if you were a teenage girl (or the parent of a teenage girl.) The new generation of boy bands aren't that aesthetically different from their musical predecessors; they've got the same choreographed dances, the same manicured haircuts, the same indistinguishable melodies. But inexplicably, they're more popular than ever, and not just in the U.S. One Direction's latest album, Take Me Home, was released worldwide in November, and debuted at number one in no less than thirty-five countries. Boy bands are up there with Star Wars and iPhones for total world saturation. The next time you hear a boy band on the radio, don't think "Wow, that sounds awful. What's wrong with kids today?" Think, "This is a pop music blitzkrieg. I can accept it or be destroyed."

10 of 17

9. Matthew McConaughey

Less than a decade ago, Matthew McConaughey wasn't the kind of actor who got critical raves or prestigious acting awards. He made by-the-numbers romantic comedies where he flashed his dimples and rock-hard abs, and got nominated for Teen Choice Awards that he rarely won. But this year, the now 43 year-old actor has course-corrected in ways that few actors before him have managed. In films like Magic Mike and Bernie, McConaughey proves he really does know how to act. And he's been rewarded for it, not just with glowing reviews (the New York Times called him the "new, improved Mr. McConaughey") and countless awards, but also box office riches. Magic Mike, where he plays a middle-aged stripper named Dallas, brought in more than $100 million at the box office, almost to the dollar what How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days grossed during its entire US run. And if rumors are true—there's buzz that he's a lock for an Oscar nomination—it's going to be an even better 2013.

11 of 17

10. Gothic Horror TV Shows

Many of us are old enough to remember when The X-Files was considered gothic and creepy. But that was in the 1990s, long before the era when you could splatter more blood on a prime-time TV show than an R-rated movie. On AMC, The Walking Dead has demonstrated just how jaw-dropping an un-anaesthetized C-section could be. And on American Horror Story Asylum—brought to you by the same guy who created Glee, the gayest show on television—we followed the exploits of a former Nazi scientist, a nun possessed by the devil, and a serial killer who skins his victims alive and wears their flesh as a mask. It's good, clean family fun, if your idea of family includes aquarium tanks filled with decapitated zombie heads and a priest nailed to a cross. If you're not already feeling a little hepatitsy from all the blood and guts, just wait until next year. Various networks are planning nine new shows featuring gothic and graphic content, from FOX's The Following to NBC's Hannibal.

12 of 17

11. Tom Cruise

It wasn't supposed to be a good year for Tom Cruise. He lost his wife, Katie Holmes, who escaped their marriage like a hostage fleeing from terrorists. And on top of his personal woes, he starred in the movie adaptation of Rock of Ages, where he played a rocker in a bejeweled codpiece, which sounded like the worst idea in the history of Hollywood. But somehow, miraculously, Cruise turned what could have been the most embarrassing year of his life into an epic comeback. Rock of Ages was not only not awful, it was pretty damn good. Cruise pulled off the codpiece—which he later admitted he still owns and wears occasionally—as well as playing a believable rock star. As for the divorce, it was much, much, much, much less worse than anybody could've expected. When Holmes absconded with their daughter Suri, the world braced for a maelstrom of ugly rumors, everything from sordid tales of Scientology rituals to Cruise's bizarre sexual habits. But there were no Troy McClure-esque details, or at least none that Katie was willing to share. The worst were reports from magazines like Life & Style and In Touch that Tom hadn't visited his daughter in a few months, which Cruise quickly corrected with a $50 million libel lawsuit. If Cruise does have shocking secrets in his closet, they're not being dragged into the light anytime soon.

13 of 17

12. Stickshifts

By the numbers, it wouldn't seem that manual transmissions are really making a comeback. According to Edmunds.com, just 6.5% of new vehicles sold this year came with stickshifts. But that's almost double what it was five years ago. It's a far cry from the golden age of stickshifts—in 1957, 82.7% of American-made cars came with automatic transmissions—but it means there's still hope for people who like shifting gears by hand rather than letting the car do all the heavy lifting. Much of the credit for the renaissance belongs to Eddie Alterman, the editor of Car and Driver magazine, who started a "Save the Manuals" online campaign (or "crusade" as he'd call it). The stickshift devotees make some convincing arguments for the old ways. Manuals are usually less expensive, sometimes as much as $1000 less for similar models with automatics. And stickshifts are certainly more fun to drive. (If you disagree, you've either never tried a stickshift, or you aren't any good at it.) “It’s about having fun in the car," says Alterman. "Not doing it through apps or downloading Pandora or anything like that. It’s about actually having a connection to the mechanical part of the car.” To that we say, amen.

14 of 17

13. The Rolling Stones

We'd make a joke about the Rolling Stones being old, but pointing that out hasn't been funny since the early 80s. At this point, the Stones have long since transcended any arguments that they should've retired. And honestly, on the band's 50th anniversary, even the worst cynic has to admit that they deserve the spotlight again. (The New York Times recently called them "grizzled and scrappy," which we guess is a compliment, although it sounds like adjectives you'd use to describe a Benny Hill character.) The reunion shows in London and New York were pricey—tickets cost up to $750 even before scalpers got their hands on them—but worth every penny. Seeing former members like Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor play with the Stones again, for the first time in decades, was enough to make the hair stand up on the back of our collective necks. We're holding out for a proper nation-wide tour, so that the rest of us can enjoy the Stones' magic one more time before the grim reaper finally gets its revenge. We're looking at you, Keith. We love you, but you can only cheat death so many times.

15 of 17

14. Doomsday Profiteering

The earth didn't end on December 21st, as the Mayans predicted. (Which, of course, they never predicted at all, but why split hairs?) But what did end were the life savings of many true believers, who spent like there was literally no tomorrow. Companies in Mexico and Siberian sold end-of-the-world-survival kits, with necessities like medication, candles, vodka, playing cards and rope. Hotels made out especially well, many offering "End of the World" packages that included a final meal and exercise programs to help you prepare for fighting zombies. A hotel in Denver even offered a “Party Like There’s No To-Maya” deal where guests could rent an entire floor for just $12,021 (a pretty good deal if you believe the world will end the next day.) For a slightly less pricey $5,300, you could take a 28-day "La Ruta Maya" bike tour that started in Costa Rica and ended in Belize just in time for doomsday. How many people actually fell for this? No official numbers have been released yet (they're still counting receipts), but according to a Reuters survey in May, one in 10 people were convinced that the Mayan calendar meant that the world really might end. That's a lot of paranoid potential customers. Like P. T. Barnum said, there's a sucker born every minute.

16 of 17

15. Condoms

Condoms' big year can from two unlikely sources: The Olympics and the adult film industry. This summer, at the Athletes' Village in London, over 10,000 of the world's best and most attractive young athletes lived together in close proximity, and had lots and lots of sex. "I've seen people having sex right out in the open," said Hope Solo, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in soccer. "On the grass, between buildings, people are getting down and dirty." It was getting so blatant that Olympic officials felt it necessary to provide contestants with 150,000 condoms, a new record for the international event. But the biggest coup for condoms came during the U.S. election, with the Safer Sex in the Adult Film Industry Act. The new measure, which would require porn actors to wear condoms while filming in Los Angeles County, was approved by an overwhelming majority of California voters. The porn community was less than pleased by the news. "It's a dark day for porn," tweeted @FetishMoviesCom. Some adult video companies even threatened to leave the state rather than force their performers to cover up, but so far there's been no mass California walkout. Whether you're Michael Phelps or James Deen, condoms are a reality that aren't going away anytime soon.

17 of 17

16. Adrian Peterson

For the average running back, an ACL tear is the NFL’s version of a death sentence—all too often, the limp off the field ends in retirement, or the broadcast booth. Thankfully for the Vikings, Adrian Peterson proved once more why he answers to the nickname ‘Purple Jesus’. Peterson not only fully recovered from his injury, he posted one of the best seasons in league history, rushing for 12 touchdowns and an MVP-worthy 2,097 yards—just nine shy of the NFL record held by Eric Dickerson. He carried the ball 348 times—three less than league leader Arian Foster, and yet posted 673 more yards than Foster’s total. And if that’s not enough to make your inner fantasy football geek smile, consider his goal for next season: “I want to try to set the ball higher than that,” Peterson recently told the NFL Network. “I want to make it the 2,500 club. It’s definitely out there. I feel like it’s definitely attainable.”

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Men's Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.